Refrigerator car



Jan, 15,-- 1935.

O. LUHR REFRIGERATOR CAR Original Filed Dec. 1:5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 five/73 0)" I 0. LUHR Jan. 15, 19 35.

- REFRIGERATOR CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec.

Wis

Patented Jan. 15, 19 35 UNITED STATES.

OFFICE 1,987,693 REFRIGERATOR c Original application December 13, 1929, Serial No.

Patent No. 1,958,794, May 15, 1934.

Divided and this application February 15, 1934,

Serial No. 711,314

6 Claims. (or. 105402) This invention relates to improvements in refrigerator cars and more particularly the axle drive for the compressor of the refrigerating system of such a. car. The present application is a 5 division of application 413,713 for improvement in Refrigerator cars, filed December 13, 1929, now Patent No. 1,958,794, granted May 15, 1934.

One object of the invention is to provide, in a mechanical refrigerating mechanism for railway cars which has included therein, a compressor mounted on the car proper, simple, efiicient and reliable driving means between one of the axles of a car truck and the compressor, so arranged to compensate for relative change in positions of the axle with respect to the compressor fixedly mounted on the "car.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following. L

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal part sectional view, part top plan of a portion of a refrigerator car showing the improved driving arrangement for a compressor, the section being taken below the floor line and the longitudinal sills and cross members of the car being omitted. Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the line. 22 of Figure 1. And Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view correspondingsubstantially to the line 3-3 of Figure 1, the compressorandcertain associated parts being shown in elevation.

In said drawings, designates generally a portion of the refrigerator car body which may be of the usual insulated type; 11 one-of the usual trucm at one end of the car; A the compressor of the mechanical refrigerating system and B an electric motor adapted'to drive the compressor when the car isstanding idle, for precooling the car. The details of the refrigerating system proper and means for selectively operating the compressor from the electric motor are deemed unnecessary of description in the present application. For a full description thereof, reference may be had to said Patent No. 1,958,794.

-'I'he compressor A is or may be of-any well known type, the same being preferably supported in a housing 14 beneath the. floor of the car as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The housing 14 preferably entirely encloses the compressor A and also serves to house the electric motor 3. The

housing 14 is adapted to be supported by brackets 15 and 16 secured to the underside of the car 'body in any suitable manner, as will'be understood.

chain 21.

To drive the compressor A from one of the axles of the truck 11, the following means are employed. The innermost axle 18 of the truck, has fixedly secured thereto, a sprocket wheel 19 of the split type and clamped in position, said sprocket wheel being located between the car wheels and preferably relatively near that wheel which is on the opposite side of the car from that on which the compressor is mounted. The sprocket wheel 19 is operatively connected to a second sprocket wheel 20 by means of a sprocket The sprocket wheel 20 is fixed to a rotatable shaft 22 journaled in suitable bearing brackets 2323, supported on a framework or cross arm 24, which in turn is secured at its ends to the side frame members of the truck. The end of the shaft 22 nearest the compressor, is provid- 1 versal joint 34 with a short shaft 35, to which is secured a fly wheel clutchmember 36. The shaft 35 is extended a short distance through the fly wheel 36 and slidably mounted thereon is the other clutch member 3'7 adapted to be disengaged from the clutch member 36 by a shipper lever 38 and collar 39 when the compressor is to be operated by the motor B, as described in said application 413,713. The clutch member 3'7 is in turn slidably mounted on a non-circular compressor shaft 40 which, as apparent from the drawings, is alined with the flexible extensible shaft drive 22, 31, 32, 33 and 34, when the truck is in normal or central position as when the car is on a tangent section of track. As will be apparent, the flexible connection including the universal joints from the shaft 22 to the compressor shaft 40, will compensate'for radial movements of the truck with respect to the compressor without binding of the driving means and will further permit of relative vertical movement between the car axle and the car body, which'occurs during operation of the car due to yielding of the truck springs. It will also be noted that the flexible extensible driving connection from the shaft 22 to the compressor shaft is normally arranged particular drive mechanism shown may be employed in operating other mechanisms than a compressor fixedly mounted on the car. All changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a railroad car body, a rail road car truck pivotally connected thereto, a split sprocket rigidly mounted on a wheel axle adjacent a wheel, a sprocket mounted on the truck frame, operative means connecting said sprockets, mechanism carried on the underside of the car adjacent the side remote from said sprockets, and a propeller shaft extending transversely of the car connecting said mechanism to the second said sprocket.

2. In combination with a railway refrigerator car body, a car truck pivotally connected thereto and the compressor of a mechanical refrigeration system, said compressor being supported beneath the car body and having its drive shaft positioned substantially parallel with one of the axles of the car truck when the car is on a straight section of the track, a bracket carried by the car truck, an intermediate shaft carried by the bracket with its axis parallel to the axle and in substantial alignment with the compressor shaft, a flexible shaft comprising a telescopic section and a pair of universal joints connecting the compressor shaft and intermediate shaft, and gearing connecting the axle and intermediate shaft.

3. In combination with a railway refrigerator car body, a car truck pivotally connected thereto and the compressor of a mechanical refrigeration system, said compressor being supported beneath the car body and having its drive shaft positioned substantially parallel with one of the axles of the car truck when the car is on a straight section of the track, a bracket carried by the car truck, an intermediate shaft carried by the bracket with its axis parallel to the axle and in substantial alignment with the compressor shaft,

a flexible shaft connecting the compressor shaft and intermediate shaft, and gearing connecting the axle and intermediate shaft.

4. In combination with a railway refrigerator car body, a car truck pivotally connected thereto and the compressor of a mechanical refrigeration system, said compressor being supported beneath the car body and having its drive shaft positioned substantially parallel with one of the axles of the car truck when the car is on a straight section of the track, a bracket carried by the car truck, an intermediate shaft carried by the bracket with its axis parallel to the axle and in substantial alignment with the compressor shaft, a flexible shaft comprising a telescopic section and a pair of universal joints connecting the compressor. shaft and intermediate shaft, a sprocket wheel on the intermediate shaft, a sprocket wheel on the axle and a sprocket chain connecting the sprockets.

5. In a railway car having a body pivoted upon a truck, a truck carrying a driving and driven pulley and a belt therebetween, a driven mechanism mounted on said body, and a connection between said driven pulley and said mechanism whereby the swinging movements of the truck with respect to the body are accommodated, said connection being arranged substantially parallel to the transverse axis of said truck.

6. In a railway car having a body pivoted upon a truck, a truck carrying a driving and driven pulley and a-belt therebetween, a driven mechanism mounted on said body, and a connection between said driven pulley and said mechanism whereby the swinging movements of the truck with respect to the body are accommodated, said connection being arranged substantially parallel to the transverse axis of said truck and in alignment with the axis of the driven pulley and th axis of the mechanism.

ANNA EISEMANN, Emecutrix under the Will of Otto Luhr, Deceased. 

